He is steady as she reacts, showing no outward signs of discomfort at her mentioning of his bold line inquiry. He knew better than most the danger in asking about the past, his own was not always a pleasant conversion, but he also knew that if he was to trust her, really trust her, he would need to know what lie in her yesterdays. They could not work as partners for the betterment of Tephra if there were secrets between them, and he truly did want to work alongside her. He needed diplomats of her skill and experience.
So he does not flinch or react, his own gaze unwavering as it remains on her. At her apology, he gives her a warm smile, his head dipping. “No apologies needed, Lucrezia. I know that the past can be an emotional subject.” He himself often preferred to skirt around it, and thus he was grateful that she opened up before him. He felt quiet as she began to speak, the only reaction being the tipping of his ears in her direction.
At the unfolding of her story, he remained silent although much of it resonated with him. He knew what it meant for the Chamber to come before everything; his father too had ruled the Chamber and the kingdom had come before everything for their family too. It was a lesson Atrox had learned the hard way. The one time that the panther-King had put others first, the Chamber had stopped his pulse cold. Eventually, the kingdom had felt the need to reanimate him, but her punishment, and the lesson, had been swift.
He is moved by her final admission. He knew all too well the need to find redemption, the need to find your own truth. So when she turns back to him, he does the only thing he can think to do, which is to reach across and nudge her neck gently with the velvet of his nose. “I understand,” his voice is low, quiet, meant to be shared only between the two of them. “For what it is worth, I think there is plenty of good within you left to give, Lucrezia. I would like nothing more than to help you find yourself here.”
For several moments, silence fell between them, rich and meaningful and untouched by the awkward tension so often shared by those newly aquatinted with one another. Perhaps it was because so much of her story, her desires, mirrored his own, or perhaps just the ease of her company, but either way, he found that it was simple to be in her company. Finally, he brought his gaze back toward her, one corner of his smile lifting. “I suppose it is only fair to offer something in return for you sharing that with me.” A genuine offer that he laid between them. “Is there anything that you would like to know?” Sharing did not come easy to him, but it was the least he could do to repay her for the bravery of her own admissions.
magnus
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